


Head Over Heels

by Phoenixofslytherin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Confessions of love, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29307606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenixofslytherin/pseuds/Phoenixofslytherin
Summary: Daphne Greengrass and Neville Longbottom grew up together. As children they were as close as close could be, but over time and circumstances they grew apart. Can a Valentine's day treat bring them back together and make them realise they were in love with each other all along?
Relationships: Daphne Greengrass/Neville Longbottom
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6
Collections: My Sweet Valentine





	Head Over Heels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [prophet_of_troy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prophet_of_troy/gifts).



> This story is written for the Draco’s Den Facebook group’s Sweet Valentine’s exchange. 
> 
> My requested pairing was Neville Longbottom and Daphne Greengrass, my sweet treat was Turkish Delight, and my prompts were mutual pining, love confessions, falling in love, and tooth-rotting cuteness. I really, really hope you like it! :-) 
> 
> Thank you to champagneandliterature for your alpha/beta help. It’s very much appreciated as always. Xxx

Daphne looked up from her breakfast in surprise as the post owls flew into the hall for the second time that morning. It was rare for there to be a double post-delivery, the only time that ever happened at Hogwarts was on Christmas Day, and apparently now, on Valentine’s day too. She had already received three beautiful but anonymous cards in the first round, surely, the owl that appeared to be heading straight towards her couldn’t be bringing anything else? 

Unless….. There was one thing that she’d been hoping for, but when it hadn’t appeared with the first post flight, she had resigned herself that, as usual, it wasn’t to be. She moved her bowl as the second owl of the morning threatened to land in her porridge and eyed the card and package it was carrying hopefully. It couldn’t possibly be….. Could it?

The handsome tawny owl held out its leg to let Daphne untie a small and neatly wrapped box. Daphne narrowed her eyes, looking up and around the hall, but nobody was so much as glancing in her direction at all. She fed the owl some bacon from the dish on the table as a reward, and the tired bird flew away for a well earned sleep. Daphne held her breath as she unwrapped the dark red and gold wrapping paper, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw what was inside. 

It was a box of Turkish Delight. A box big enough to share. She looked over at the Gryffindor table in amazement, but if the gift had come from Neville as she so desperately hoped it had, he was giving nothing away. He was deeply engrossed in conversation with Seamus and wasn’t sparing anyone a second glance. She caught sight of the enormous jumble of Valentine’s cards on the table in front of him, most of which were still unopened, and she couldn’t help wondering if he’d seen the one that she had finally plucked up the courage to send to him.

Daphne opened the box of chocolates, and the rich floral smell tickled her nose enticingly. There was a note inside the package. “I’m hoping these are still your favorites. I’m hoping you still remember. Meet me under the oak tree on the shores of the lake at seven tonight if you do.” The card was simply signed with an untidily drawn heart.

Daphne gasped. Of course, she remembered. 

How could she ever forget?”

* * *

The day passed in a blur of anticipation as Daphne found she couldn't concentrate on anything at all. She was fidgety and jumpy to the point of spilling an entire vial of Armadillo Bile across the table in potions. Luckily Pansy siphoned it up with her wand before too much of it dripped onto and stained Draco’s expensive robes, and he merely cocked a disdainful brow in her direction and sighed as he finished the cleanup job himself. “If you don’t tell Longbottom how you feel this evening, Daph, I’ll meet him instead and tell him for you. My robes can’t take much more of this.”

Daphne giggled despite her nerves. Somehow the thought of Draco telling Neville that she was still head over heels in love with him was comforting. At least if her courage failed her at the last moment, she had a backup plan. Draco leaned closer, carefully correcting Daphne’s slowly congealing potion with a couple of waves of his wand and the addition of several ingredients that she had forgotten due to lack of attention. “Slughorn would second that too if he’d seen the mess that I’ve just sorted out in your cauldron.”

“Thank you.” Daphne blew Draco a kiss, still unable to wipe the ridiculous smile from her face or to keep her legs from jiggling under the table with nervous anticipation. 

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake. He’s as hopeless as you are. You’re destined to be together by your matching ineptitude with potions.” Daphne gasped as she glanced over at Neville’s cauldron and saw that its gently rising steam was quickly turning to first grey and then thick black smoke. “Put this in it, quick.” Draco handed her a vial and propelled her across the room towards Neville before Slughorn returned from running his errand and witnessed the second cauldron based disaster of the morning.

Neville looked up in surprise as Daphne stopped nervously in front of him. “Uh, hi?”

“Hi,” she blushed. Neville Longbottom had to be the only person on the planet who could make her blush. She held up the vial of clear liquid and smiled, “I’m told that this might help.” Neville watched curiously as she tipped the vial’s contents into the alarming looking mixture in his cauldron and then blinked as another vial floated across the dungeon and hovered in mid air in front of her. “And this one too. Oh, and this.” Neville looked utterly bewildered as she added the extra ingredients. “You probably need to stir it now, too,” she whispered as his brown eyes stayed locked gratefully onto hers. 

Neville nodded slowly, and as he stirred, his potion slowly started to correct itself. Hermione leaned across and pointed her wand at the flames under Neville’s cauldron, reducing the heat drastically, and the potion miraculously turned back to how it should have been. “Thank you.” Neville’s lips were soft and inviting, and Daphne bit her own nervously, suddenly wondering what to do. Harry was looking at her in confusion, if it hadn’t been for Draco physically yanking her back to the Slytherin side of the dungeon and her own long  abandoned cauldron, she probably would have stood staring at Neville for the rest of the lesson. 

Things didn't improve from there. It was a sunny day, warm for mid-February, and the row of greenhouses they were now working in faced south and were therefore bathed in full sun. Both Daphne and Neville were taking Herbology as an optional eighth-year subject. Professor Sprout had snapped at Neville no less than three times for not paying attention, something that had never, ever happened before. Pansy was starting to lose patience as well. She had been talking for a full two minutes before realizing Daphne wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention, and it was only when she spun around to scold her that she caught sight of Neville herself. “Oh, sweet Mother of Merin.” She breathed, and Daphne grinned.

Because of the heat, Neville had stripped down to a rather tight t-shirt, and Pansy was as transfixed by his muscular arms and the hint of his rippling, washboard abs that were just visible through the thin cotton as Daphne was. Pansy gripped Daphne's arm. “Okay. Daph, I get it now. I didn't get it in fourth year or fifth even, but I do see it now. And because you fell in love with him when you were both kids, he’ll know you're not only after him because of that dammed snake.”

“I’m really, really hoping you’re right. Oh, Pan’s, why was I such an idiot? Why? Why did I let him go?”

“Oh, chill out, Daph, we've all made mistakes. Just because he took Ginny Weasley to the ball that year doesn't mean he didn’t wish it was you on his arm. And, if he weren’t interested in you, you wouldn’t be meeting him tonight. I’m fairly sure the feeling has been mutual for all of these years. You’re both as head over heels as each other.”

“I really, really hope you're right.” Daphne gasped and blushed again as Neville looked directly at her. He pushed his hair back and inadvertently left a streak of earth across his forehead.

Pansy laughed. “Go wipe it off for him,” she whispered. 

“Nooooo!” Daphne giggled, trying her best to smile back and appear unaffected, but accidentally transplanting her wand into the ground instead of the Shrivelfig bush. 

“Bloody hell!” Pansy muttered, retrieving it for her and handing her the plant instead, “bring on seven pm!”

  
  


* * *

Daphne didn’t think she had ever been as nervous getting ready for a date as she was tonight. Pansy had styled her hair into long, soft waves, and now she, Tracy, and Millie were sitting on the bed watching as Daphne tried on every non-Hogwarts item of clothing that she owned. If she hadn't had such short notice for tonight’s date, Daphne would have  gone shopping in Hogsmeade to find something more suitable, but with only a few hours to prepare, her existing clothes would have to do. 

She finally settled on a pair of tightly fitting jeans and a black top that was flecked with tiny, sparkling crystals. Tracy frowned at the color and changed it with a wave of her wand into a deep, rich red. Millie helped her carefully apply some light makeup, and by the time Daphne was ready to meet Neville, she was sure that her friends were all as invested in the outcome of the date as she was. 

Daphne left the other girls to get ready for the unofficial Slytherin dorm’s Valentine’s party and slipped out through the castle into the cool night air. She glanced around anxiously, never liking to be on her own in the dark, and made her way quickly down to the lake. 

She caught sight of Neville before he heard her approach, and she paused for a moment to watch him as he gazed out across the lake. She sucked in an appreciative breath, impressed by his trim, muscular figure and the way he had grown into his looks. After a minute of unapologetic ogling, Daphne started forwards again. She accidentally snapped a twig with her boot, and Nevile turned, smiling widely as she grinned in return.

“Good evening.” He stepped forwards and greeted her with a polite kiss to both cheeks. The brush of his lips heated her cool skin, and she returned the gesture, wanting nothing more than to fall straight into his arms. “I wasn't sure if you'd come,” he whispered, looking endearingly nervous.

Daphne pulled an incredulous face. “Really?” she asked, feeling less awkward now that they were away from the curious glances of their classmates, “why?”

“Well, I’ll admit that I felt a little more confident after you helped me out in potions this morning. Thank you for that, by the way.”

“Oh!” she laughed, “it was Draco that gave the actual help. He sorted my mixture out after it congealed in much the same way yours did, and then he told me what to do to fix yours.”

“Really?” Neville looked surprised, “I didn't know Malfoy was the helpful sort these days.”

“He mellowed a lot after the war,” Daphne said simply. “Thank you for the box of Turkish Delight.”

Neville smiled softly. “That’s quite okay. I wasn’t sure if you’d remember.”

“How could I ever forget?” She smiled shyly at him in the moonlight. They were both quiet for a moment, remembering how, as small children, they used to sneak into Neville’s Gran’s larder cupboard late at night when they were supposed to be asleep and raid her stash of Turkish Delights before squirreling them away and eating them in Neville’s double bed while Astoria slept soundly beside them. “I used to love those nights we spent together at your house more than anything.”

“Me too.” Neville agreed. “The sleepovers were the best. I can’t believe Astoria never woke up and joined us in our illicit candy eating, though.” He stepped towards her. “Daph? Why didn’t we just get brave that summer, fifth year at least, even if not fourth? I’d have loved to take you to the Yule Ball in fourth year too, did you know that?” 

“I'd have loved it if you’d have asked me,” she admitted sadly. “But back then, I just wasn’t brave enough to date outside of my own house. I don't think I could have coped with the backlash it would have brought, particularly at that time with the war brewing the way it was.” Neville nodded, although he looked a little hurt. Daphne stepped forwards and took his hand in hers. “I've never been as brave as you are, I’m afraid.”

Neville just fixed her with his level brown gaze and smiled, “Everyone tells me I’m brave because I chopped Nagini’s head off. The truth is, I got lucky there. Right place, right time and all that.”

“Yeah yeah,” Daphne teased him gently, “and you just happened to find the Sword of Gryffindor, did you? Just, you know, laying there where anyone could have picked it up? It came to you for a reason, you wally. It knew you were brave enough to use it. And that isn’t even the main reason I think you're brave, anyway.” 

“Isn't it?” Neville looked surprised, and she reached up to touch his cheek. He leaned into her touch, and she closed her eyes, breathing in deeply as she tried to control her riot of emotions.

“No. I think you're brave because you were the only person in the entire courtyard that stood up to  _ him  _ that night _. _ I nearly died when you did that Nev, I was so scared for you.” She closed her eyes and inhaled shakily, the sting of tears threatening to smudge the mascara Millie had helped her so carefully apply. “That was the moment I realized how much I loved you, and I thought  _ he _ was going to kill you, and I’d lose you forever.”

“Hey! Hey…. Daph, come here, don’t cry, please.” She stumbled forwards into his arms, and he hugged her tightly. Despite her best efforts, a couple of tears slipped down her cheek. She wiped them carefully away and then buried her face into his broad shoulder. She took some deep breaths. It was almost painful to be so close to him after so long. He smelled slightly different now, cedar and a little bit of spice mixed with potent masculine musk, and his body felt very different as he held her tightly, but he was still Neville, still the boy she had been in love with all her life. 

Daphne took a moment to explore the plains of his body with the palm of her hand. When they had been fourteen, and again at fifteen, they had shared a few brief and inexperienced kisses and fumbles. At that time, Neville had been hesitant and unsure, now his manner was confident and strong, and the effect that the change in both his body and personality was having on her was startling. “Have you been working out?” she asked with an appreciative smile. 

Neville chuckled at her question, “a little. I’ve gotten into distance running over the last couple of years, and there’s a lot of heavy lifting and digging involved with the extra Herbology elective I’m taking. I guess it all adds up.”

“It certainly does.” Daphne felt his upper arms and smiled again, allowing herself a little feminine swoon. When she pulled back, he was looking at her slightly tearfully himself. “I’ve missed you,” she admitted, and he smiled.

“I’ve missed you too,” he said, pulling back to study her intently. “So, if I asked you out properly now, if I said I wanted to show you off to everyone and to tell the whole school that you're my girl, what would you say?”

Daphne’s answering smile was huge as she waited for him to finish talking. “I'd say yes-” he cut her off with a kiss, and it was deep, powerful, and certainly not inexperienced anymore.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Neville’s grin was as wide as her own as he picked her up and spun her around, kissing her all the while. “Would you like to come to a party with me then?” she asked, making him look at her in surprise.

“Of course. Where?” 

“Our dorms. It’s supposed to be a secret, but it never is.”

Neville laughed, “I’d love to. I was going to ask you the same thing because we have one that’s supposed to be a secret but never actually is too. I wonder if Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have Valentine's parties every year as well?”

“I know for a fact that Hufflepuff does,” Daphne said, with a giggle, “I’ve been to one of theirs. Ours is the best of all the dormitory house parties, though.”

“Ah.” Neville paused to bop her on the nose gently as she had done to him so many times when they were children, “so says the girl who’s never been to a Gryffindor common room party. What do you say we go to both and spend a bit of time in each?”

“That,” Daphne said, reaching up to kiss him soundly on the lips, “sounds perfect.”

And so it was. They went to Gryffindor Tower first, Neville led her through the portrait hole and into the lively common room, drinks were pressed into their hands, and within half an hour, they were dancing alongside Seamus, Dean, Parvati, a rather reluctant Hermione, Ginny, and a gaggle of other girls from her year group. It didn’t take long for Daphne to get over her apprehension at being the only non-Gryffindor in the room, and soon she was feeling as comfortable in here by Neville’s side as she did in the Slytherin dorms. 

They stayed in the Gryffindor common room for longer than they had intended. Neville looked at his watch and gasped, “Have you seen the time?” he asked, as they took a breather from dancing and sat down with another glass of Seamus and Dean’s spiked punch.

He turned his watch to Daphne, and she gasped. It was nearly eleven. They’d both had such a good time dancing that neither of them had noticed the evening slipping away. “Shall we move downstairs?” Neville asked, and she nodded.

“Only if you're happy to,” she said, feeling a little tipsy, “I don’t mind staying here instead.” 

Neville took a deep breath, “I think we should go. I won’t lie and say I’m looking forward to seeing Malfoy and his mates, but you came in here for me, and I want to return the favor.”

Daphne laughed, “You have no reason to worry, but still, I'll look after you. Shall we go then?”

It took yet another half an hour to say goodbye to everyone, and consequently, it was nearly midnight when they finally slipped into the Slytherin dorms. The party was still in full swing, and a loud cheer went up as Daphne led Neville inside and across to an unoccupied sofa in the corner of the room. 

Daphne smiled as Pansy, Millie, and Tracy descended on them out of nowhere and sat down beside them. “What time do you call this, you two? ” Pansy teased, fixing Daphne with a knowing grin.

“Just the right time to come home, actually, Pans.” Daphne laughed, and Pansy grinned even more broadly.

“What have you been up to all evening?” Millie asked, and Daphne smiled as Neville took her hand. 

“Dancing,” he said simply. “And realizing what fools we’ve both been for staying apart for so long.”

“You have both been rather foolish about this, yes,” Tracy said with a soft smile, “anyone can see that you two are made for each other. Please tell me you're not going to be foolish any longer?”

“You have my word on that.” Daphne turned her neverending smile back to Neville. “We are, officially…. now,” she looked at him for a moment in confusion, “wait, what are we officially then, Nev? Going out? Dating? What do you want to call us?”

Neville looked at her as the soft light of the common room reflected in the green of her eyes, and his smile grew even wider. “In love,” he said simply and jumped at the sudden screeching that broke out all around them. Pansy, Millie, and Tracy all clapped their hands and bounced up and down with glee, and their exuberance caught the attention of Draco and Theo, who wandered over to join them. 

“Date went well, did it?” Draco asked with a smirk that turned into a real smile at the pure happiness on all of their faces.

“I’d say!” Pansy squealed, “tell him, Daph, tell him what Neville said a moment ago!”

Daphne blushed as she gazed deeply into Neville’s eyes. “We are, officially…. in love,” she confirmed, and this time both she and Neville just laughed at the cacophony of clapping and catcalling that her admission caused. 

“See Theo?” Tracy said, standing up, “how romantic is that?” 

Theo grinned, “well, it is Valentine’s night, so I suppose a little romance is allowed. Dance with me, Trace?”

Tracy giggled as she took Theo’s hand, and they melted away into the crowd together. “Neville,” Daphne turned to face him again on the sofa, “it’s midnight. Can you remember our favorite midnight snack when we were children?”

Nevilles’ handsome face lit up as he laughed, “well, I did buy you a box earlier,” he whispered, looking startled as Pansy squealed yet again.

“Oh, my Gods Daph!!” Pansy put her hands over her mouth comically, “that’s why you always sneak the Turkish Delights out of the selection boxes! And you blush like crazy when you eat them! Now we all know why!!”

Daphne just laughed as she pulled Neville to his feet and led him down the long dark corridor to her dormitory. She grinned. It was almost midnight on Valentine’s day, she had Neville Longbottom in her bedroom and a whole box of Turkish Delight to share with him. She grinned as she let them both into the deserted room, over to her four poster bed, and in through the hangings before casting some robust privacy charms all around them, what more could a girl possibly want?

  
  



End file.
